Valve-operating mechanism



R. F. HALLIWELL.

VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATON FILE-D MAY 17| $9.19.

Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

, .UNITED stars .ears

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REGINALD FRANCIS I-IAJLIELL, 0E RUGBY, ENGLAND, SSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELEC- TRIO COMPANY, A. CORORATION 0F NEW YRK.

VALVE-ernannte 1 meenemen.

T 0 all w /wm t may concern Be it known that I, RnsiNALD FRANCIS HALLIWELL, a subject of the King oi Great Britain, residing at Rugby, county of Tar-v Wickshire, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Valve- Operating Mechanism, et' which the follow ing is a specification. n f

The present invention relates to valve op erating mechanisms such as are used, for example',` to controlthe iiow of elastic fluid to turbines, and has forfits object to provide an improved construction and arrangement in a mechanism otthis character.

For a Consideration oit what I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing, F ig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of an embodiment ot my invention, F ig. 2 is a sectional view showing certain parts in a position different trom that shown in'Fi'g. 1, and Fig. 3 is a detail, sectional view of certain parts. i

The invention is particularly applicable to a valve mechanism wherein theilew of elastic fluid to a turbine is controlled by a series of valves which are opened one'a'tter another to admit elastic fluid. and are closed one after another to cut oil the supply ot elastic fluid, such valve mechanisms being well known.

Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates an elastic iiuid valve chest to which elastic fluid is admitted from a suitable lsource of supply. Chest -5 may 'be comparatively long and the'tluid may be admitted at one end. Leading from chest 5 are'one or more passages 6, each having a valve seat 7 upon which seats a valve 8. 'Eachpassage 6 communicates with nozzles of the turbine when the valve mechanism is used in `connection with a turbine.

The stem 9 of valve 8 extends through a stuling box 10, and at its upper end is con.- nected to the central portion ot a lever 11. OneV end of lever 11 is fulcrumed on the upper end of a link 12, the lower end oi linl; 12`being pivoted to a member 13 carried on the side of valve chest 5. Connected to valve chest 5 and extending along the side ot the lsameis a casinglsl in which is pivoted-a shaft 15. Casing 1li may be connected to 'the valve chest 5 by suitable bolts 16. @n shaft 15 is a double flanged disc 17 comprising two f Specification of Letters Patent;

the other side ot 'otl the passage of Patented Mar. 21,1922.'

191e. sereine. 297,769. i i

flanges spaced by a hub to the shaft. Between thegtwo flanges of which is keyed disc 17 is a rollerflS which `when the disc is turned engages the arms 19 and 20 of a horseshoe or U shaped rocker which is pivoted at 21 to a bracket 21a carried by a covery oi casing 1a; above each disc. `The rocker comprising arms 19 and 20 isA pivoted. to bracket 21.LL at abeut its central position and to one side of the pivot point 21 is `fastened the lower end ot the forked link 22 the upper end Iot which is suitably attached to lever 11. `Link 22 is connected to thelrocker by means ot a pin 23 which projects beyond the sides ot Vlink 22 to form a stop which engages surface 24C of bracket 21n to prevent the valveV being lifted tooyfar. On the inside faces of the flanges of disc 17 are projecting ridges 25 shown in Fig. 3 each ridge being a complete circle with theexceptiou of a gap 26, this gap being placed on one side of the roller 18 on one tia-nge and on the. roller on the 'other iiange, the being` arranged to permit projecting' stop pins 27' and 28 on opposite sides 2O and 19.- The` ends of gap 26otwtl1eleit hand flange shown in Fig. 3 are indicated in VFigs. 1 and 2 by the letters Z and e. The

stop pins 27 and 28 are of such a length that they will bear on such portion of the outer circumference ot discl as isv occupied by ridge 25 and render it impossible forl the rocker to be turned from the shut or openvposition ot the valveexcept engagement ot the roller 18 between the rocker arms 19 and 2O at which time the-gaps 26 i gear from this cause is prevented bysto-p pin 2S bearing against surface 2a after the rocher has been turned by the `roller 18 as i'ar as ,possible in adirection to open the Should the Vfluid pressure be insutf iicient to torce the stop pin `23 against the surface 2st, the valve is held open by stop pin ot the rocker arms 28 bearing on outer circumference of disc 17. ,As it would be extremely difficult to set the gear so that the valve would be positively seated exactly at the instant of disengagement of the roller 18 from between the rocker arms, the rocker arm 20 is cut away slightly in order to permit of the roller bcing disengaged when the valve is a short distanceV ofi' its seat. Under theseV circumstances, however, the difference in elastic fluid pressure above and below the valve due to throttling of the fluid is sufficient to tend to close the valve on to its seat and" force the rocker arm 19 against the roller 18 whereby the valve can only seat itself when the roller is moved out of engagement with arm 19. Y

Link 22 is provided with a distance piece 29 at the point of attachment to lever 11 and this distance piece is made of such a lengthlthat when the valve is properly seated the rocker will be in a suitable position for the engagement of roller 18 on rotation of the disc. To render this adjustment easier, stop pin 23 is arranged to nearly touch the outer circumference of the disc v,when the rocker is in its correct position and when tting the distance piece it is only necessary to make it of such a length as will result in the stop pin 23 being lifted from Contact with disc 17 by a small amount to rection, roller 18 will move away from arm 19 and Vvalve 8 will remain closed. Assuming now that it is desired to open valve 8,

' shaft 15 is turned in a clockwise direction whereupon roller 18 presses against arm 19` `swinging the same about pivot 21, as is obvious. This'will raise link 22 andleverll causing the valve 8 to" open. When the valve isfully opened the arrangement is such that roller 18 will pass under the end of arm 19 so that shaft 15 may continue to rotate in a clockwise direction. At this time stop pin 23 will almost have reached stop 24. As arm 19 is moved around pivot point 21 by roller 18, it will be seen that at the same time arm 2O vwill be moved down behind roller 18, and when the valve is fully opened it will occupy a position, as shown in Fig. 2. In this figure stop pin 23 is shown in contact with stop 24C due tov difference in the pressures on the opposite ends of stem 9 holding the valve open.

Now if shaft 15 and disc 17 are moved in a counter clockwise direction from the Fig.

of arm 19 and engage arm20, and as the Vbe moved in the well understood manner by 90 avoid rubbing and to ensure that valve isV disc 17 are turned in an anti-clockwise di# 2 positiomroller 18 will move under the end Y movements continue it will turn the rocker in a direction to pull down on link 22 and force valve 8 to closed position. It will-thus be seen that with the arrangement shown the valve is positively actuated in both directions.

` In the case of an lelastic fluid turbine where there is a number of valves 8, it will be understood that there will be a valve operating mechanism, asshown, for each valve, i. e., there will be a disc 17, roller 18 and horseshoe shaped member comprising arms 19 and 20. The rollersv 18, however, for the re. speetive valves will be offset angularly with respect to each other around shaft'l so that they will come into play one after another to open and close their respective valves 8. It will be understood that in each instance, after the valve is either fully opened or fully closed the arms 19 and 20 do not interfere. withv the continued movement of shaft 15 since roller 18 can move under such arms.

Shaft 15 may be moved by'hand or it may means of a servo-motor the pilot valve of which is controlled by a speed governor, or otherwise.

In accordance with the provisions of thev patent statutes, I have described the prin ciple of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means. Y

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a valve mechanism, the combination -of a valve, and operating means therefor comprising a horseshoe shaped member piv- V oted between its two ends, an actuatorA ar'- ranged to engage one arm of said member to open the valve and the other arm vto close it, and means associated with the actuator for preventing movement of the valve err-"110.

cept by the actuator. t 2. In a valve mechanism, the combination y' of a valve, and an operating means therefor comprising a horseshoe shaped member pivotedbetween its two ends, 'a shaft, anV actu- 115 ator carried by the shaft and arranged Ato engage between the arms of said member, and vmeans associated withthe actuator for preventing movement of the valve except by the actuator. Y

3. In a valve mechanism, the combination y of a chest, a valvetherein, a lever to which *i the valve is connected, and means for moving thelever comprising a horseshoe shaped member pivoted between its two arms, a-,125 link connected at one end to said lever and at its other end to said member at one side of its pivot point, a shaft, and an actuator carried by the shaft and adapted to engage between the arms of said horseshoe shaped 130 member when the shaft is turned to open and close the valve.

4. In a valve mechanism, the combination of a valve, and an operating means therefor comprising a horseshoe shaped member pivoted between its two ends, a shaft, an actuator carried by the shaft and arranged to engage between the arms of said member to open and close the valve, the arrangement being such that when the valve is fully open or fully closed said actuator may move past the ends of said arms, and means for locking the valve in open and closed positions when the actuator moves past the ends of said arms.

5. In a valve mechanism, the combination of a chest, a valve therein, a lever to which the valve is connected, and means for moving the lever comprising a horseshoe shaped member pivoted between its two arms, a link connected at one end to said lever and at its other end to said member at one side of its pivot point, a shaft, and an actuator carried by the shaft and adapted to engage between the arms of said horseshoe shaped member when the shaft is turned to open and close the valve, the arrangement being` such that when the valve is fully open or fully closed said actuator may move past the ends of said arms.

6. In a valve mechanism, the combination of a valve, and an operating means therefor comprising a horseshoe shaped member pivoted between its two ends, a shaft, an actuator carried by the shaft and arranged to engage between the arms of said member to open and close the valve, the arrangement being' such that when the valve is fully open or fully closed said actuator may move past the ends of said arms, stops for limiting the movements of said operating means, and

means for locking the valve in open and V closed positions when the actuator moves past the ends of said arms.

7. In a valve mechanism, the combination of a chest, a valve therein, a lever to which the valve is connected, and means for moving the lever comprising a horseshoe shaped member pivoted between its two arms, a link connected at one end of said lever and at its other end to said member at one side of its pivot point, a shaft, a disc on the shaft, a projection on the disc which engages between the arms of. said horseshoe shaped member to open and close the valve,

and a stop pin on said horseshoe shaped member which rides along the periphery of said disc.

8. In a valve mechanism, the combination of a chest, a valve therein, a lever to which the valve is connected and means for moving the lever comprising a horseshoe shaped member pivoted between its two arms, a link connected at one end to said lever and at its other end to said member at one side of its pivot point, a shaft, a disc on the shaft, a projection on the disc which engages Vbetween the arms of said horseshoe shaped member to open and close the valve, a stop pin on said horseshoe shaped member which rides along the periphery of said disc when the valve is closed, and a fixed stop which the stop pin engages when the valve is fully open.

9. In a valve mechanism, the combination ofpa valve, a horseshoe shaped member pivoted between its two ends and connected to the valve to open and close it when the said member is turned on its pivot, a shaft, a double flanged disc carried by the shaft, a roller pivoted between the flanges of the disc and arranged to engage between the arms of said member to open and close the valve, and pins carried by said arms which ride along the periphery of said flanged disc to hold the valve in open or closed position when the roller moves beyond the ends of said member.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twelfth day of March, 1919.

REGINALD FRANCIS HALLIWELL.

Witnesses:

JOHN HALFRED, DOROTHY WHITE. 

